No Name Key, Sunday March 12

 

I did not have eggs for breakfast.

Nor was breakfast at Monica and Bill's.  We brought an assortment of croissants and sticky buns to Ashley and Arlo's. I had not seen them or their daughters in any of Saturday's activities.  Avia made a bracelet for me.  She made bracelets for everyone with her little loom. (And help from Mom)

Breakfast with family meant a late start kayaking. Delayed further when I arrived at the No Name Key Bridge.   Cars parked on the road from before the No Name Pub to the bridge. Port a pottys.  Police vehicles, lots of people on the bridge. Some in VOLUNTEER vests.  A 5K?  I asked a passing couple, "What's going on?"  "Kids fishing tournament, it ends at noon"  I waited until the bridge cleared.  A police cruiser crossed it, then a private car.  I crossed to the No Name Key side, and was on the water at 12:25

As I paddled on the inside of a small island, islelet? keylet? there was a swirl on the surface.  Manatee? 

Shark.  Too bad the glare is blocking it. 5 footer. Fairly thick.

Old Bahia Honda bridge

Great white heron

Great egret. Black legs. Great white herons have white legs.

Old Ferry Landing on the opposite side of No Name Key from where I began. Sometimes, I launch here.

.

3:15, I was almost back to the bridge.  I saw a gap in the mangroves and decided to see how far I could go.

I could see someone had trimmed back some of the mangroves.

In other spots, thick ropes pulled overhanging limbs back, giving room to duck under. 

I heard people coming the other way. I waited. The first came. "There are 7 of us, and the guide" It took awhile for them all to pass.  Finally, the guide came.  I thanked him for clearing the trail.  And asked if he was Bill Keogh.  He was. I told him I read his book.

And more importantly, my nephew, who gave it to me, bought it. We had a nice chat.  He knew of my nephews, from their efforts to in the Safer Cleaner Ships campaign and knew my sister.

I was thinking the trail through the mangroves would take be back to the Bogie Channel.  It did not.

I was in a salt pond.  I paddled around, looking for another exit.

I did not find one.  It took me a while to find the entrance to the mangrove trail.  Well,  I thought, if all else fails, I can google Big Pine Kayak Tours and have Mr. Keogh find me.  Fortunately, I avoided that embarrassment.

Landed at 5:18. About a 2 hour detour in the mangroves and salt pond.  One of the tightest mangrove trails I have ever paddled through.  Mr. Keogh said he uses 12 foot kayaks. "What's yours, 17?"  "Yes"

Fred the Tree on the old Seven Mile Bridge

I did not see any Key Deer.  My long paddle meant that the Marathon Seafood Festival was over when I passed by.  Helped a bit with traffic.  I got home just before 12:30.